Ricky Stuart advised Savelio Tamale to regain confidence after a tough performance, believing in his potential post-injury.
To understand why Ricky Stuart pulled Savelio Tamale aside during a game and urged him to "believe in his ability," consider this: the Canberra Raiders winger might have won last year's Meninga Medal by the length of the Thoroughbred Park straight if he hadn't missed half a season through injury.
Because Tamale still finished second in the count for the Raiders' player of the year despite missing nine games. But this year, the Canberra winger is "down on confidence."
Which is why Stuart took a chance to talk with Tamale during the first half of Canberra's thrilling two-point win over South Sydney in Perth on Saturday.
Tamale had just scored a long-range try, but it almost ended in disaster when he pulled up short of the line and almost gave Cody Walker a chance to make a try-saving tackle.